BUCH Produced Fora

The pervasive influence of algorithms on our entertainment and educational consumption is undeniable, serving at times to increasingly blur and draw novel lines between them. “Beyond the Binge” will grapple with complex questions regarding  futures of education and entertainment that will inevitably be shaped by AI. Fostering a critical dialogue among computer scientists, media theorists, philosophers, humanists and historians, the aim of this two-day conference is to generate actionable recommendations for a more ethical and equitable future. The first day of the conference will focus on entertainment and algorithms, the second will focus on the future of humanistic education and research. Visit the Beyond the Binge webpage.

Mathematicians and philosophers gathered in BU’s law building on April 22, 2024, for the inaugural “Mathematics with a Human Face” conference, sponsored by the Center in collaboration with the University of Bergen’s Department of Philosophy and the Norwegian Research Council. The event drew seven speakers from around the world to discuss the role of creativity and the human element in mathematics and the age of AI. Center Director Juliet Floyd, known for her work in the philosophy of logic and mathematics, welcomed attendees, who enjoyed a day full of conversation. Watch the recording.

Forum 2019, Can We Talk ? Dialogue and Debate in the Contemporary Academy

Dialogue and Debate in the Contemporary Academy, explored one of the biggest challenges facing universities today: the question of how to promote honest intellectual exchange. In fall 2020, we plan to continue the work begun in Forum 2019 through three working groups of undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty and staff. Visit the Can We Talk webpage.

Forum 2018, Humanities Approaches to the Opioid Crisis

Partnering with area schools of public health and medicine, and representatives of city, state, and federal government, this forum demonstrated how humanities disciplines provide languages that address social and health problems. The goal was to initiate local, national, and global conversations with experts at both academic and non-academic institutions on the opioid crisis. Visit the Humanities Approaches to the Opioid Crisis webpage.

Forum 2017, Recording Lives: Libraries and Archives in the Digital Age

In this forum, the Center reached beyond its academic borders to highlight what humanities fields have to offer a broader public.

Partnering with the Boston Public Library and the Boston Athenæum, the forum featured panelists from the Athenæum, the Congressional Library & Archives, the Handel and Haydn Society, Historic Newton, Mount Auburn Cemetery, and the Mellon Sawyer Seminars at BU, to discuss how local cultural and academic organizations are deploying digital technologies to provide or expand access to their collections and engage more diverse audiences. The Center published a book collection of essays from the 2017 forum, edited by former Director Susan Mizruchi, in 2020. Visit the Recording Lives webpage.